Electric switches



L. J. LAPOINTE ELECTRIC SWITCHES Filed Oct. 10, 1957 INVENTOR ATTORNEY LLOYD J. L

. I 1H 9 31. his Err M June 23, 1959 Fig 4 United States Patent a,s92,o46

ELECTRIC swrrcnns Lloyd 1. Lapointe, Manchester, Conn., assignor to Royal McBee Corporation, Port Chester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application October 10, 1957, Serial No. 689,310

6 Claims. (Cl. 200) This invention relates to an electric switch and more particularly relates to an electric switch that is provided with a plurality of contacts which may be functionally coupled and uncoupled.

There are many instances where a large number of single pole double throw switches are required or desired to be installed in an extremely small space. Such space limitations frequently arise in the design of electrical equipment and this necessitates the use of special switching circuits or the use of an aggregation of special switches, either. of which tends to increase the final cost of said equipment. ,The many attempts to provide an extremely small multiple contact switch e.g. one having 90 stationary contacts and 30 movable contacts all operatively disposed within approximately one cubic inch, have resulted in devices which are either costly to manufacture or unreliable in operation, or both.

One object of the instant invention is to provide an improved multiple contact switch which occupies a minimum amount of space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple contact switch having a plurality of individual wires which collectively define the stationary contact elements of the switch and which cooperate with a plurality of balls that define the movable contacts of the switch.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved multiple contact switch which may be inexpensively manufactured and which is efiicient and reliable in operation.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the disclosure progresses.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation View of the instant switch; part of said view being broken in axial vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a right end view of the switch shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an upper plan view of the switch shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed plan view of a portion of the instant switch.

Referring to Figs. 1-3 the switch frame comprises a pair of electrically non-conductive frame side plates 1 and 2 which are secured together in fixed lateral spaced relation by any suitable means such as pins 3. Two parallel longitudinal rows 5 and 6 of small diameter electrically conductive contact wires 7 are fixedly mounted in and between the frame plates 1 and 2, the ends of the respective elongated wires 7 extending beyond the outer surfaces of said plates 1 and 2 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each of said wires 7 extends through appropriate axially aligned holes formed in said plates 1 and 2.

Movably mounted between said side plates. 1 and 2 is an electrically non-conductive ball support member 8. Formed in each of the top and bottom sides (Fig. 1) of said member is a longitudinal row of cylindrical ball receiving chambers or bores 9. An electrically conductive contact ball 10 is disposed in each of said bores 9, said balls each being biased outwardly by means of a 2,892,046 Patented June 23, 1959 spring 11. When said member 8 is positioned between the plates 1 and 2 as shown in Figs. 1-3, each ball 10 is retained in its associated bore 9, against the action of its spring 11, by two of said wires 7, Figs. 1, 3. The support member 8 is provided with fixed and predetermined spaces stop pins 12 and 13 which respectively engage the ends of plates 1 and 2 to thereby limit the travel of said member relative to said plates in the right and left directions respectively.

The operational nature of the switch will be described with reference to Fig. 4. In that each ball 10 and its associated group contact wires cooperate in similar fashion, explanation of one thereof will sufiice here. The ball 10a, Fig. 4, has associated therewith three contact wires 7a, 7b and 70 which are respectively electrically connected in any suitable manner to a positive lead 15a, a negative lead 15b, and a positive lead 150. The negative lead 15b is common to two different electrical circuits having positive leads 15a and 15c respectively. The ball 10a is capable of being moved into two operative positions with respect to said wires 7a, 7b and 70. In the solid line position of Fig. 4 wherein stop pin 13 engages the right ends of plates 1 and 2, said ball is urged by its associated spring 11 into operative engagement with the two wires 7a and 7b to thereby establish an electrical connection between the leads 15a and 15b. By displacing the ball supporting member 8 to the dotdash position shown in Fig. 4, wherein the stop pin 12 engages the left ends of plates 1 and 2, the ball 10a will yieldably ride over wire 7b and will thereafter be urged by its said spring into operative engagement with the two wires 7b and 70 to thereby establish an electrical connection between the leads 15b and 150. Thus the ball 10a and the three Wires 7a, 7b and 7c of Fig. 4 functionally constitute a single pole double throw switch.

In that each ball 10 must be moved inwardly during a displacement of said member 8, it will be seen that said balls 10 and their respective associated springs 11 will yieldably retain the member 8 in each of its two operative positions, hence no additional springs or detents etc. are required to maintain the instant switch in either of its operative conditions.

The above described construction for a switch provides for an efficient contact pressure and contact configuration. In operation the instant device permits of a very fast break of said contacts and an impact and Wipe make thereof. In addition it is impossible here to have a make before a break. Switches which are constructed in accordance with the instant invention may be made using standard size wire and balls. One such switch has been successfully produced using .005 inch diameter Wire and 7 inch diameter steel balls whereby 30 single pole double throw switching units are located within a space of less than one cubic inch.

Although the wires 7 of the instant switch are shown as being disposed in longitudinal rows, it will be ap parent that said Wires may be arranged in various patterns such as a radial pattern or a pattern defining a cylindrical surface. In such cases the shape of the ball supporting member 8 may be appropriately adjusted to accommodate the particular pattern used. If desired the member 8 may be provided with only 1 ball which is capable of successfully engaging all the Wires 7, thereby providing a high capacity stepping switch. The member 8 may be actuated either manually or by the armature of a conventional type solenoid.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration only and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from the spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric switch; comprising, a pair of non conductive frame plates mutually secured together in parallel spaced relation, a pair of parallel rows of small electrical 1y conductive wires secured between said plates, said wires being operatively arranged in groups of three, a non conductive ball supporting member slidably mounted between said plates and between said rows of wires, each of the two sides of said member respectively adjacent said rows of wires being provided with a row of bores, a spring biased electrically conductive ball disposed in each of said bores and being respectively adapted to operatively engage cooperating pairs of wires in an associated one of said groups.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said mem her is provided with a pair of stops which limit the extent of longitudinal movement of said member relative to said plates whereby each of said balls and its associated group of three wires functionally constitutes a single pole double throw switch.

3. An electric switch; comprising a frame, a plurality of groups of substantially parallel elongated electrically conductive wires secured to said frame, each group comprising at least three of said wires, the respective ends of said wires adapted to be connected to external elec trical leads, a ball supporting member movably mounted in said frame, said member being formed with a series of bores, and a spring and an electrically conductive ball operatively disposed in each of said bores, said balls being respectively associated with said wire groups and each being adapted to alternately and yieldably engage cooperating pairs of wires in its associated wire group.

4. An electric switch; comprising, a frame having a pair of plates secured together in fixed spaced relation, a plurality of small diameter elongated electrically conductive wires secured to said plates, said wires extending between and beyond the outer limits of said plates and being adapted to be connected to external electrical wiring, a ball supporting member movably mounted in said frame, said member having a series of bores formed therein, and a spring and an electrically conductive ball operatively mounted in each of said bores, said balls being respectively adapted to normally yieldably engage cooperating pairs of said wires.

5. Apparatus as defined by claim 4 wherein said member is provided with stop pins which cooperate with at least one of said plates to limit the relative movement between said frame and member.

6. An electric switch; comprising a frame having a pair of contact supporting plates secured together in fixed spaced relation, a group of three elongated small diameter electrically conductive wires secured to and extending between said plates, the ends of said wires being adapted to be connected to external electrical wiring, a ball supporting member movably mounted in said frame, said member having at least one bore formed therein, and a spring and an electrically conductive ball operatively mounted in said bore, said ball being spring biased into yieldable engagement with cooperating pairs of said wires.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,553,314 Goff Feb. 28, 1923 1,654,521 Anderson Jan. 3, 1928 1,873,095 Woodford Apr. 23, 1932 2,246,373 Lodge June 17, 1941 2,487,199 Titcomb Nov. 8, 1949 2,497,331 Swedien Feb. 14, 1950 2,786,654 Greer Mar. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 533,504 Great Britain Feb. 14, 1941 

